Triglycerides are the most common type of fat in your blood: your body stores spare calories as triglycerides for energy, and a high level adds to heart risk and, when very high, can cause pancreatitis.
Also called: TG, triglyceride, blood fats.
General information, not medical advice
Ranges and goals vary with your overall heart risk and between labs. Go through your own results with your doctor or another qualified health professional.
What it measures
The triglyceride result is the amount of this fat in your blood, carried mostly in VLDL particles and, after meals, in chylomicrons. It's on every standard lipid panel. Triglycerides rise after eating, so the 2026 ACC/AHA guideline suggests a fasting test if a non-fasting result is 400 mg/dL (4.5 mmol/L) or more.
Triglycerides convert between units with a different factor from cholesterol: mg/dL ÷ 88.57 = mmol/L (cholesterol uses 38.67).
Normal and high ranges
| Triglycerides | mg/dL | mmol/L |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Under 150 | Under 1.7 |
| Borderline high | 150–199 | 1.7–2.2 |
| High | 200–499 | 2.3–5.6 |
| Very high | 500 and above | 5.6 and above |
These are the US categories (MedlinePlus). In the UK, HEART UK gives a healthy level as below 1.7 mmol/L fasting or below 2.0 mmol/L non-fasting. At 500 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) or more, and especially at 1,000 mg/dL (11.3 mmol/L) or more, the risk of acute pancreatitis rises and the guideline calls for a full check for causes.
What raises and lowers them
- Raise them: regularly eating more calories than you burn, especially from sugar; excess weight; alcohol; smoking; poorly controlled diabetes; an underactive thyroid; kidney or liver disease; some medicines; pregnancy; and inherited conditions.
- Lower them: cutting added sugar, refined carbs and alcohol, losing excess weight and being more active. The 2026 guideline notes falls of more than 70% from lifestyle changes in people who respond strongly. Statins lower triglycerides modestly; prescription omega-3s and fibrates are used for very high levels. The guideline doesn't recommend dietary supplements for lowering triglycerides.
High triglycerides often come with low HDL, and they make a calculated LDL less reliable, which is when non-HDL and ApoB help.
Deeper reading
Related terms
- ApoB
- HDL cholesterol
- LDL cholesterol
- Lipoprotein(a)
- Non-HDL cholesterol
- PREVENT risk calculator
- VLDL cholesterol
- All glossary terms
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal triglyceride level?
Under 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L) is normal by US categories. 150–199 mg/dL (1.7–2.2 mmol/L) is borderline high, 200–499 mg/dL (2.3–5.6 mmol/L) is high and 500 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) or more is very high. HEART UK gives below 1.7 mmol/L fasting or below 2.0 mmol/L non-fasting.
Do I need to fast for a triglyceride test?
Usually not. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline accepts a non-fasting test, but suggests repeating it after a fast if non-fasting triglycerides are 400 mg/dL (4.5 mmol/L) or more. Follow your doctor's or lab's instructions.
How do I convert triglycerides from mmol/L to mg/dL?
Multiply mmol/L by 88.57, or divide mg/dL by 88.57 to go the other way. So 1.7 mmol/L is about 150 mg/dL. Don't use the cholesterol factor (38.67) for triglycerides.
Sources
- Blumenthal RS, Morris PB, et al. 2026 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2026;87(19). Also in Circulation, doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001423.
- MedlinePlus: Triglycerides
- HEART UK: Understanding your cholesterol test results
Track your numbers over time
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